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How do you come up with names?
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<blockquote data-quote="Kris" data-source="post: 3245507" data-attributes="member: 3745"><p>For elivish names and such I usually use Tolkien's Sindarin for my games ...however I avoid putting any such names on my maps (just in case it infringes on any copyright stuff) and instead give those place names an approximate Latin translation (just a rough conversion that is probably constructed all wrong <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /> - that I get from online dictionaries etc.). I then treat this approximate Latin language as an ancient tongue of men that has only survived on maps etc.</p><p></p><p>For example, one forested area on a map of mine is called 'Luna Silva' (roughly Latin for 'Moon Wood' ...I hope <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /> ) but it's true elvish name is Ithiltaur - which could be translated to mean 'The Forest of the Moon'.</p><p></p><p>For human and halfling stuff I generally use old-english/anglo-saxon, though humans of royal blood or ancient lineage may have some Latin element to their name (or elvish if applicable <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /> )</p><p></p><p>Not surprisingly I use old Norse for dwarf names and their settlements - and although gnomes have not played a big part in my world thus far, I have started using a Cornish online dictionary for the odd NPC that has started to appear.</p><p></p><p>For an Orcish/black-speech kinda thing... I've been using a simple formula I came up with one day to convert English words into more harsh sounding words... so from 'grim-tooth' I get 'Thôtmorg' or from 'scars' I get 'Sárekz'</p><p></p><p>I also find it cool to give certain weapons/items of legend various names... so the elves may refer to something as 'Angecthel' - but it may be known as 'Irengâr' by men ...and if a PC knows any of these languages I will generally tell them the literal translation of the word(s)</p><p></p><p>hmm... I probably put too much thought into this stuff <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /> ...maybe I need to get out more <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f600.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":D" title="Big grin :D" data-smilie="8"data-shortname=":D" /></p><p></p><p>(I haven't actually studied any of these languages (though I read up a bit on Tolkien's languages the once) and just use online dictionaries to find words that I can use <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /> ).</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Kris, post: 3245507, member: 3745"] For elivish names and such I usually use Tolkien's Sindarin for my games ...however I avoid putting any such names on my maps (just in case it infringes on any copyright stuff) and instead give those place names an approximate Latin translation (just a rough conversion that is probably constructed all wrong :) - that I get from online dictionaries etc.). I then treat this approximate Latin language as an ancient tongue of men that has only survived on maps etc. For example, one forested area on a map of mine is called 'Luna Silva' (roughly Latin for 'Moon Wood' ...I hope :) ) but it's true elvish name is Ithiltaur - which could be translated to mean 'The Forest of the Moon'. For human and halfling stuff I generally use old-english/anglo-saxon, though humans of royal blood or ancient lineage may have some Latin element to their name (or elvish if applicable :) ) Not surprisingly I use old Norse for dwarf names and their settlements - and although gnomes have not played a big part in my world thus far, I have started using a Cornish online dictionary for the odd NPC that has started to appear. For an Orcish/black-speech kinda thing... I've been using a simple formula I came up with one day to convert English words into more harsh sounding words... so from 'grim-tooth' I get 'Thôtmorg' or from 'scars' I get 'Sárekz' I also find it cool to give certain weapons/items of legend various names... so the elves may refer to something as 'Angecthel' - but it may be known as 'Irengâr' by men ...and if a PC knows any of these languages I will generally tell them the literal translation of the word(s) hmm... I probably put too much thought into this stuff :) ...maybe I need to get out more :D (I haven't actually studied any of these languages (though I read up a bit on Tolkien's languages the once) and just use online dictionaries to find words that I can use :) ). [/QUOTE]
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